Cheltenham's 25th Anniversary
Rackets 25 Anniversary
(1988 – 2013)
The anniversary of the re-opening of the College rackets court drew an excellent crowd of OC’s and members of the rackets fraternity from all over the world. It was Richard Morgan’s (Headmaster 1978-1989) swansong to reopen the Cheltenham rackets court in 1988, appreciating that College was one of the first four schools to compete in the Public Schools Doubles Competitions in 1868, and recognizing that it would raise College’s profile among schools and parents alike, securing a fixture list against the country’s top schools. Subsequent success has proved that this was a fine decision - College has not let him down!
To celebrate the weekend, current World Rackets Champion, Jamie Stout (H 97-02), the current World Doubles Champions (James Coyne and Will Hopton) and the current British Open Doubles Champions (OC’s Ben Snell L 97-02 and Nick James 01-06) together with Richard Owen (L 05-10) came in from all parts of the globe to participate in a series of exhibitions.
On the Friday evening, after a Drinks reception for College Staff and guests in the Pavilion, College pupils and the immediate College community were treated to some stunning rackets between the four OC’s – Stout and Owen v Snell and James: the competitors’ reading of the ball, the trueness of the court and the rapt spectators generated a tremendously tense atmosphere that gently billowed into the October evening air.
This was only bettered by the exhibitions that took place on Saturday. A buffet lunch followed by three ‘best of 3’s’ took place in the afternoon. OC’s and parents, both past and current, created a steady stream of avid viewers as the gallery remained full and the rackets just got better. The first match Stout and Owen v Hopton and Coyne was as good as it gets...
There was a Champagne reception ahead of the Evening Dinner held at the College to which over 100 OC’s, parents, guests and lovers of the game around the country were in attendance. Karl Cook (in his 25th year at College) offered a few words on why rackets has worked as a sport at College, Charlie Liverton (OC Secretary) offered a (long) list of OC achievements and James Coyne (Old Wellingtonian and World Doubles Champion) offered a witty interpretation of the success of College’s players, past and present, from a T&RA perspective. The 65 Finals at the Public Schools Championships, Queen’s Club, the OC world champion, the British Open Doubles Champions, the countless British U21 and U24 champions, the 8 NARA fellows, the Cheltenham Masters Rackets Club squad – they all make College rackets what it is, but none more so than Mark Briers, current rackets pro, whose speech was brief, but whose contribution has been immeasurable.
A wonderful weekend.